The panel on wildlife trafficking consisted of freelance environmental writer and moderator Laurel Neme; the North American director of the World Wildlife Fund’s TRAFFIC initiative Crawford Allan; the Northeast regional assistant special agent for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Salvatore Amato; and Peter Jenkins, the director of International Conservation for the Defenders of Wildlife.

Discussion covered areas including both legal and illegal wildlife trade, enforcement of regulations, and the role of the Internet. Panelist Amato informed the audience that online trafficking has drastically changed the dynamics of wildlife trade, with suppliers and consumers finding new ways of exchanging information and products. These changes in the industry have made it necessary for “undercover” agents of regulatory institutions to heavily rely on web-based investigation.

Allan presented a PowerPoint citing specific examples around the globe of illegal trade, including concerns on the emerging tiger-bone wine market, and the crisis status of the pangolin (scaly anteater) in Southeast Asia, the area Allan mentioned as the “major concern” in regard to wildlife trafficking.

Jenkins spoke on the dramatic 23 percent budget cut imposed on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, despite a 50 percent increase in wildlife trafficking over the past decade. While trafficking is on the rise, increased and consistent funding for regulatory agencies will allow for more comprehensive inspection of ports to regulate the import and export of wildlife products, while providing support for agents who track this form of illicit trade on the web.

The links between human health and environmental factors are extremely complex and not fully understood. It is hard to communicate environmental health as an “issue” to the public, because it is hardly cut and dry. However, Gwen Collman of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) applauds current efforts to identify harmful chemicals and inform the public in order for people to make educated consumer decisions. Collman believes that one of the best ways a journalist can report on environmental health is to portray personal stories and make sure to maintain the credibility of their report by citing experts, not biased professionals.

Scientists struggle to compile comprehensive data in the face of gaps in scientific knowledge, like the lack of basic biological knowledge of female reproductive systems, poor public health records, and exposures being poorly understood at all life stages. However, the science has become much more definitive since the 1980s, when the method of determining links to environmental hazards consisted of asking recently diagnosed patients what they think they may have been exposed to.

Since there is still such a lack of understanding of normal human female reproductive biology, it is increasingly difficult to understand abnormalities. Therefore, the scientific data available linking environmental factors to women’s health continues to be a work in process. Animal studies are useful in that there are numerous similarities between the endocrine systems of animals and humans. Real human studies are most important, but hard to conduct, because humans are not raised in controlled environments. Several current human research studies were discussed, such as The Sisters Study which tests air, water, and dust home samples as well as the hair, toenails, blood, and urine of 50,000 women who have sisters with breast cancer over a period of ten years.

Copies of a report titled "Hormone Disruptors and Women’s Health: Reasons for Concern," which summarizes the outcomes of the Women’s Reproductive Health and the Environment Workshop held in 2008, are available here.

An article that provides more in-depth information and data is titled "Advocate’s Guide to State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment" can be found here.

Journalists are encouraged to contact the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to identify active and credible scientists in a wide range of research fields.

In this session, the political and economic factors affecting the nuclear industry in the near future were considered by freelance writer Jennifer Weeks and Margie Kriz, a staff correspondent for the National Journal. According to them, the Obama and McCain campaigns alike value the nuclear industry. Obama, being from Illinois, feels the pressure from the industry since his state has the most nuclear power plants in the country. McCain has promised 45 new power plants by 2030, a goal that is considered way too ambitious by most people actually within the industry. He has also emphasized the need to "recycle," or reprocess our nuclear waste, citing Japanese and French ingenuity in this area. Obama has mentioned the need to create green jobs. The stance on nuclear power of members of Congress was also discussed.

For the past 30 years, the nuclear industry has waned because Wall Street saw investments as too large, the relative affordability of coal in mind. The current financial crisis, in conjunction with possible prices being put on carbon emissions, sets nuclear power up as an increasingly appealing alternative for business interests. However, the shadowy problems that have plagued this energy source for the past half century persist today — namely, operational safety, means and location for the disposal of wastes, high cost of new plants, and the threat of possible terrorist attacks.

Weeks stressed the importance of weighing nuclear power against other sources of energy in regions that are experiencing growth and need energy. Renewable energy sources offer smaller, more incremental amounts of power in comparison to a nuclear power plant, but require just a fraction of the primary investment and do not require mined resources or high-level waste disposal to operate safely.

Deregulation in the industry makes firms want to maximize profits. Companies must plan for the great unknown with a traditional rate-of-return approach. Building of new reactors and license extensions are increasingly under way, since many of America's first power plants are approaching the end of their 20-year licenses and extensions.

Considering the amount of power produced and low cost of running an existing plant, extensions have been pretty much a no-brainer. An employee of the NRC in the audience verified this fact, and mentioned just a few which are having complications, namely, Beaver Valley and Oyster Creek. He discussed new reactor models being used in other parts of the world and under consideration for construction in the U.S. Also mentioned was the move of U.S. manufacturing jobs to places like Japan. Japanese companies have bought out several U.S. manufacturing companies like GE and Westinghouse already.

On the topic of the global nuclear industry, Kriz remarked that the global nuclear industry is simply as strong as its weakest link. The panelists agreed that openness is crucial in this respect so that countries operating nuclear facilities are under the supervision of the international community and can make use of the best practices.

Freelance journalist Amy Gahran and Leonard Witt, Professor of Communication at Kennesaw State University, discussed blogging and social media and how it can boost journalists' careers. The two panelists examined how to use programs like Twitter and blogging software like WordPress to help media stay relevant in public discourse.

Gahran, an avid blogger, asserted that blogs are beneficial in that they are allowing mass media to be more "human than in the past." According to Gahran, blogs allow anyone access — therefore they have a broad social appeal. Gahran suggested that journalists should use blogs as a tool to increase their notoriety in the media world. "Blogs help establish your personal brand," said Gahran, which is important because, according to Gahran, "There's no loyalty in the business. Zip. None. News organizations are laying you off like fleas."

Witt, who in addition to his teaching position is the author of the public journalism blog pj.net, said that blogs have a tremendous value — although it's not always instantly obvious. "Initially, I would say 'this is a waste of my time'," said Witt. After further investigation, though, Witt is now a proclaimed advocate of blogging. "It gives you more authority," he said. "It's paid off for me with a 60k grant and about 10 other things I can mention."

Absent any federal climate change policy, states and interest groups are turning to the courts. More than two dozen cases already are pending, pursuing legal strategies ranging from the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, energy statutes, National Environmental Policy Act and similar state laws, and common tort law. And the number of suits grows daily. Top attorneys will discuss the legal theories behind current cases, the dangers of letting the courts set global warming policies, and emerging issues like the legal challenges individual states and regions face in implementing climate change policies.Moderator: Carolyn Whetzel, California Correspondent, BNA Panelists:Michael Gerrard, Partner, Arnold & PorterCale Jaffe, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law CenterWilliam Snape III, Senior Attorney, Center for Biological DiversityRobert Wyman Jr., Partner, Latham & Watkins

Nov 30, 2008

The declining health of the world's oceans is an often unseen, intangible predicament for a land-based human society. But the daily outputs of life on land are having a tremendous impact on life in the sea. A wholesale re-ordering of the ocean's food chain is under way, not only through overfishing but from agricultural and industrial runoff into the seas that makes previously productive areas uninhabitable to marine life. The broader impacts of climate change, another byproduct of human life on land, will continue to have major impacts on the rhythms of life in the sea. What are the most dire issues facing the rich and vast natural resource of our oceans, and what are the practical ways to reverse the trends?Moderator: Chris Kirkham, Reporter, The Times-PicayunePanelists:Dennis Heinemann, Senior Scientist and Vice President for Ocean Climate Change, Ocean ConservancyJackie Savitz, Senior Scientist and Pollution Campaign Director, Oceana

When considering people of color make up 30 percent of the U.S. population, journalists seem to be quite the non-representative sample: only 11 percent of an average newsroom is staffed by minorities. In this session, the panel suggested ways in which journalists can provide coverage of environmental issues that is compelling to communities of color. Linking environmental issues with things that happen within our everyday life was one example of how to take angles of environmental stories that can help people relate to issues and understand them better. Marley Shebala, a senior reporter for The Navajo Times, explained that, "going out and reaching people, trying to provide information to help them understand" is a good start to getting the community involved in pertinent environmental issues. Framing the issue in a way that encourages people to be motivated and become pro-active can also spur community involvement and awareness. With the right information, the issues themselves have the power to bring people together.

Will your baby's bottle give your newborn cancer? Is your Nalgene water bottle putting harmful chemicals in you? What kind of endocrine disruptors have been detected in our food, our waterways and our own bodies? Are these chemicals causing male fish to grow eggs? Scientists have found phthalates, BPA and birth control pills in the waterways. Should we be concerned about the presence of these chemicals? Is it all hype? Experts from the government, industry and academia weigh in.Moderator: Susanne Rust, Science Reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Panelists:Richard Becker, Senior Toxicologist, American Chemistry CouncilJerrold Heindel, Scientific Program Administrator, Cellular, Organ and Systems Pathobiology Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesPete Myers, CEO and Chief Scientist, Environmental Health Sciences

Coal's ingredients comprise a devastating global threat: Carbon dioxide is the leading component in global warming, while sulfur dioxide (which leads to acid rain), nitrogen oxide (which produces ozone), and mercury all cause health and environmental damage. Yet China alone consumes more than a billion tons of coal a year, more than virtually all the world's developed nations combined. Throughout the developing world, consumption of coal is accelerating, with ominous implications for the world's environment. This panel will focus on coal use, impacts, and possible solutions outside the U.S., with particular attention paid to China and India, the world's first and third biggest consumers of coal respectively.Moderator: Jacques Leslie, Freelance Writer Panelists:Peter Fairley, Freelance WriterRoe-Hoan Yoon, Professor of Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, and Director, Center for Advanced Separation Technologies